Jet Travis

Very interesting idea for a thread. I'll bet you get a wide range of responses.

My first "moments of truth" came when, as I young cyclist tourist, I saw the later afternoon light playing across the landscape as I pedaled in silence or went gliding along the back roads of Greece, Italy, England or Ireland. These were moments I treasured and seemed to find only while riding a bicycle. I spent six months knocking around Europe on a bike and felt that I was on some kind of hero's journey.

Then, in later years, my moments of truth came as I tried to get faster. I loved the challenge, especialy climbing hills or hanging with pack, but felt myself less present in the moment. In the process, I learned the limiations of my body as I injured my back and then my knee.

Now I try to find moments of truth through balance. Some days are the days of pure presence in the moment. Feeling the breeze, smelling the honeysuckle and feeling the kind of spaciousness that comes when you're spinning easily and peacefully in silence.

But there are also times when I love to climb, to feel the animal pleasure of just going all out--or nearly so as I sweat my way up a hill and then roar down it at 40 mph (well, that's "roaring" for me).